


Three Photos and a Key

by Pdxtrent



Series: A Series of Unfortunate Chapters [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Bad Alpha Talia Hale, Constructive Criticism Welcome, Gen, Laura Hale mentioned - Freeform, M/M, Talia Hale mentioned - Freeform, Terrible Hales
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:15:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29355570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pdxtrent/pseuds/Pdxtrent
Summary: This is the first in a series of first chapters I've written over the last couple of years. Sort of a glance into my 'work in gestation' file.Some of these have been mentioned in various chapter notes, like the Stiles and Bucky story, some of them have only been mentioned to my long suffering friends. I make no guarantees these will ever progress past a first chapter, but feel free to ask questions and make comments on them. Answering questions a lot of times will shake loose my thoughts on a particular project, and cause me to go back and tinker with them.I'm calling them my 'Series of (Un)fortunate Chapters.This one is a sort of 'what if the Hales had blamed Derek for the fire that almost killed them all, and he ran away. It's the darker version of 'A Werewolf Walked Into a Bar' I've mentiond in the notes a few times.
Relationships: Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Series: A Series of Unfortunate Chapters [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2156343
Comments: 8
Kudos: 44





	Three Photos and a Key

Derek woke up when he heard the new neighbor he'd nicknamed Loud Voice talking as he got out of the elevator down the hall. He sighed softly to himself.

Again.

"-so Scott and Kira asked if I wanted to meet them in Mexico during spring break , but I didn't bring my passport with me when I came to college, since I didn't expect to -" there was a pause and then Loud Voice said, "Thanks dad, you're a lifesaver! Got to go, I just got home and need to jump in the shower, if you send it Second Day it'll be here in time to leave." 

The conversation dragged on as the voice continued past his apartment until it finally faded away down the hall and a semblance of quiet returned. 

Derek didn't hate Loud Voice. Not really. But there was something about the guy that set off a prickle down his spine. A reminder of a past he'd run from and, to be honest, was still running from, and would always be running he knew. There were some things you never stopped running from. 

Derek stretched and eventually slid out of bed. It wasn't that long before he'd need to be up anyway, so he might as well start his day early. 

the next two days passed and he forgot about Loud Voice again unless he heard him, and he was getting ready to head for the gym for a training session with one of his regulars, when there was a loud knock on his door. He opened it at the unexpected pounding, and was surprised to see a Fedex delivery guy standing there. 

"Sign here," the fedex driver said, pushing the signature screen on top of the package at him. He signed the now familiar name, and handed the signature pad back and shut the door. Moving away from it, he glanced at the package and froze at the unfamiliar name: 

Stiles Stilinski

500 W 110th, #320

New York New York 10025

Which was his address and apartment, but certainly wasn't his name. Any of his names in fact. So he looked at the return address, and got a panic-inducing shock. 

Beacon Hills. What. The. Fuck. 

He'd tried really hard to not think about Beacon Hills since he was sixteen and- he pulled his thoughts away from that. The past was the past, and better left there. But an ache filled him at even the slightest mention of the place. A stirring in the true nature he'd kept ruthlessly suppressed since he'd fled, pretending for the years since to be merely human. 

He took a cautious sniff of the package. Something in the lingering smell was both familiar and yet not. He shook the package, puzzled. Whatever was inside was lightweight but muffled. At the way it held scent it was likely fabric. 

Who'd be sending him clothing? He didn't remember ordering anything. The senders name was listed as just Stilinski as well, so he wondered if they'd accidentally written their name in both places. It seemed weird, but no less weird than someone in Beacon Hills sending him a package in the first place. 

Especially a human. 

He ripped into the box, and pulled out a very old worn orange and blue tshirt that was so faded and worn it was almost a rag, and an envelope spilled out, sending three hundred dollar bills and a passport across the floor. 

He sighed and then flipped open the passport to the photo and recognized Loud Voice, who he'd seen once in the hallway coming back from what Derek assumed must be college. Columbia probably, which had once upon a time been Derek's school of choice. In another world at least. It was part of why he'd moved to this apartment when he had the chance, as annoying as the college student neighbors were. It gave him a small bit of an old dream back safely. A dream separate but not abandoned, not completely. Of course it was Loud Voice, Derek thought with a sigh, and shoved the money and the passport back inside. 

He stepped out into the hall and headed toward where he knew Loud Voice lived. The numbers grew smaller as he got closer, and he wasn't totally surprised when he ended up at 302. 

He wondered at the cruel twist of fate that had led Loud Voice to end up in Derek's building, and with almost Derek's apartment number. He could hear the kid talking inside so he knocked, and a moment later the door opened up.

"Yes?" Loud Voice said, looking him up and down, letting his eyes linger on Derek's face for a moment. 

"This is yours." Derek said, pushing the package forward, "whoever sent it got the address wrong." 

"You opened my mail?" Loud Voice- Stiles he corrected himself, said, as he took in the gaping end of the box. 

"Sorry." He muttered. "I didn't recognize the name, but I saw Beacon Hills and I thought-" he shook his head. He wasn't sure what he thought. 

"You thought what, that you'd be randomly getting mail addressed to someone else from some random town in Northern California, and you should open it? Rude much." the kid said, almost babbling as he pulled out the shirt and the envelope and the passport fell into his hand.

He glanced into the envelope and saw the cash, "Did you take any of this?" 

"I'm not a thief." Derek said, wanting to growl, but didn't, repressing the unexpected desire ruthlessly. "I just-" he hesitated, "I know Beacon Hills. Getting mail from there surprised me was all." 

Loud voi- Stiles looked at him closely, and Derek could see something going on in his thoughts, when his whole face shifted, "Oh my god, you're Derek Hale." Stiles said, in almost awe. "Oh my god. Holy shit." 

"How do you know me?" Derek said, his nose flaring scenting for danger. 

"Laura was my babysitter for years after my mom died." Stiles said. "Your mom wrote me a recommendation for Columbia." Stiles said, "They've been looking for you since you disappeared. They've never stopped." 

"I know." Derek said, panic filling him, his mind racing to organize his next set of steps. He'd need to leave almost everything again of course, but he had a little nest egg built up finally. Not a lot, but enough to-

"You should call them." Stiles continued as he turned and started reaching for his phone only a few feet away, "they'd be so excited to hear from you! They-" 

Derek interrupted, "I have to go." he said, backing out the door, panic sweeping through his as the careful cage he'd built around the beast inside shuddered as it tore itself against it like it hadn't in years. "have fun in Mexico!" he said desperately, and turned and was moving. 

"How did you know about Mexico?" he could hear Stiles say behind him, not even aware he'd left yet.

But Derek was already moving and wouldn't stop until he knew he was safe again, and far far away. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> aaaannnnd like that he's gone again. 
> 
> I think this will end up being about as long as Werewolf Bar, maybe a couple of extra chapters. Not too long. And ends one chapter after the very very angry confrontation between Derek and Talia where some truly unforgivable things get said. 
> 
> I want to add that this was in part inspired by a story on here I've lost track of, where the Hales similarly blamed Derek for the fire, but events went very very differently. I liked the premise a great deal, but wanted it to take a different track.


End file.
